Memorial for Lee Childs, June 19, 2013, by Marce.

JoAnne Childs gave Fans and Friends an opportunity to say a final “Goodbye” to  Lee Childs, at the Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis, MA, a year after his sudden, unexpected death in 2012. It was a terrible  shock for all of us!

Lee performed on clarinet and saxophone somewhere on Cape Cod and the Greater Boston area, many days a week for over 40 years. Some of the musicians who played with him were here to celebrate his life. A hot buffet and passed hors d’oeuvres were served.

The main band was led by Ted Casher, tenor sax, with Phil Person trumpet, Paul Schmeling piano, Michel Lavigniac banjo, Gary Johnson drums, and Laird Bowles string bass, playing many of Lee’s favorite tunes, Mood Indigo, That’s A Plenty; several musicians sat in.

 

 

Michel Lavigniac performed with Lee Childs for about 35 years. He continues Lee’s Sunday Jazz Boat out of Onset, with Rick MacWilliams tuba and Paul Nossiter reeds.  Rick was here today.

 

 

 

Michel, Stu Gunn tuba, Gary Johnson drums, and John Clark reeds represented the band that Lee had for years at the Edaville Railroad. Jimmy Mazzy couldn’t be here because he’s at the Colonial Inn every Wednesday. Just a Little While To Stay Here, John Clark had to learn Riverboat Shuffle  when he subbed for Lee. Just a Closer Walk With Thee; tuba and drum drove the band on Shine.

 

 

 

Gene Blood sat in on drums for When I Grow Too Old to Dream and At The Jazz Band Ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barbara Nye, a real livewire vocalist from Monday nights at the Roadhouse Cafe, came up for rousing Cabaret.

 

 

 

 

Gary and Ted returned, with Ted singing When You’re Smiling.
Ted picked up the soprano sax, and sang The Best Things In Life Are Free (or at least reasonable). Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans. Fantastic!   Back Home Again in Indiana was a hot one.

 

 

Pianist Bob Hayes was here with his grandson Kareem Sanjaghi. Kareem took over the drums for Honeysuckle Rose, with Ted, Paul and Laird all trading 4’s with the drums.

Gary Johnson returned for the Finale, Lover Come Back To Me, and Lee’s special song “Think of Me”   an arrangement done by Lee and Kurt Wenzel of the song from The Miz.

Jimmy Enright and I first heard Lee Childs playing outstanding clarinet in 1975, when he was in John Fuller’s New Cabaret Jazz Band with Jimmy Mazzy at Billy Mitchell’s Post Time in Nantasket.  We’ve followed him since at some of the places he’s played: Jordan’s Furniture, Top of the Hub at the Prudential Building, Edaville RR, Embargo, Alberto’s, Cuffy’s, Del Mar Bar and Bistro, Isaac’s, on the Jazz Boat up and down the Cape Cod Canal, http://www.nejazz.com/oldsite/LeeChilds2011.htm .

JoAnne had a special tribute for her husband; a plane flew overhead, circling the Lighthouse Inn, trailing a banner that read “THINK OF ME.  WE HEAR YOU LEE CHILDS.  FOREVER!  LOVE  ME.